Apparatus for marking and utilizing rotary sliced veneers



Oct. 26, 1954 a c NS 2,692,624

APPARATUS FOR MARKING AND UTILIZING ROTARY SLICED VENEER-S Filed May '7, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR fierzjamin C. Jz'arezzsom ATTORNEY Oct. 26, 1954 B. c. SORENSON APPARATUS FOR MARKING AND UTILIZING ROTARY SLICED VENEERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 7 .1951

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Oct.- 26, 1 a. c. SORENSON APPARATUS FOR MARKING AND UTILIZING ROTARY SLICED VENEERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May '7 1951 I 7W";- Y I Benjamin C. JZrea-sam BY ama/dated ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 26, 1954 APPARATUS FOR MARKING AND UTILIZING ROTARY SLICED VENEERS Benjamin C. Sorenson, Grand Rapids, Mich., as-

signor to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of New Jersey Application May '7, 1951, Serial No. 224,988

Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for marking and utilizing rotary sliced veneers.

In the making of fine furniture from rotary sliced veneers, it is essential that a face side of the rotary cut veneer be the outermost or visible surface of the product. The so-called face side of such veneer is that side which is farthest from the center of the log from which the veneer is rotary cut. It therefore has a slightly greater area than the opposite or back side when the veneer is in the curled state which it occupied when part of the log. When flattened out for use, however, this differential in area resolves itself into a differential in density or porosity. The back side is sometimes called the loose side and is the more porous, while the face or tight side is the less porous and therefore more adaptable to receive the high polish desirable in fine furniture.

When the veneer is in its unfinished state, it is diflicult for anyone but skilled persons to distinguish the face side from the back side. At-

tempts at marking the veneer faces at the mill have heretofore proven unsatisfactory, and it has therefore been common practice for furniture factories to employ skilled help to sort out the veneer for faces between the time it is received from the mill and the time it is glued up into plywood. This practice has been not only costly but also wasteful of the services of skilled help.

The primary objects of the invention are, therefore, to provide a method and apparatus whereby the veneer is automatically marked on its face side when out at the mill and in such a manner that the veneer face, as it appears in the finished product, discloses no disfiguration from the marking.

These objects are attained by the method and structure hereinafter particularly described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a veneer lathe to which the apparatus of the invention is applied in practicing the new method;

Figure 1a, is a fragmentary, transverse vertical sectional View of the machine;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of parts of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an underside perspective View of a knife holder of the machine, shown per se;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, illustrating the manner in which veneer is rotary sliced from a log and at the same time out to rough width and scored on its face side;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a plywood panel of rough width having its upper outer ply of veneer marked according to the invention;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the forward part of a knife holder showing the new scoring device applied thereto;

Figure '7 is a top plan view of the same;

Figure 8 is a sectional view thereof taken on line 8-8 of Figure '7; and

Figure 9 is a sectional view thereof taken on lines 99 Figures 7 and 8.

Referring now in detail to these drawings wherein like parts of the structure shown are designated by the same numerals in the several views, and referring first particularly to Figure 1, the veneer lathe there shown is of a generally conventional type having a base Ill, subbase II, and spaced upright bearing posts l2 in which are turnably mounted spindles [3 (see Figure 2) on and between which is rotatably mounted the log M to be rotary sliced or peeled into veneer I5. The machine has a, carriage l6 which is automatically moved toward the log by mechanism shown in Figure 111., while the log is rotated in the direction of the arrows. This means for automatically moving the carriage toward the log comprises a worm wheel 50 mounted on a shaft 5| which is connected by suitable gearing (not shown) to the same pulley by which the log l i is rotated. The worm wheel 50 meshes with a worm gear 52 on a screw 53 which has one end threaded in the carriage l6 and the other end journalled in a bearing member 54 mounted on the base ll of the machine, and it will be seen that turning of the screw 53 advances or retracts the carriage on its tracks on the bearing posts [2 at opposite ends of the machine. The carriage has mounted thereon a peeling or slicing knife l1 disposed longitudinally of the log and secured to the carriage as by means of plates I8 and machine screws l9 passing through the plates and threaded in the carriage I6.

The carriage it also has mounted thereon a plurality of knife holders 2!], removably secured thereto as by machine screws 2i passing through openings 22 in the holders and removably secured in threaded openings 23 in the carriage (see Figure 2). A cutting knife 24, whereby the veneer is cut to rough width during the slicing operation, is mounted in each knife holder 29 with its cutting end protruding from the holder in the direction of the log. The opposite end of the cutting knife 24 is secured to a block 25 (see Figure 3) slidably mounted on the holder 23 and connected to an adjustment crank 26 threadedly mounted in the holder 20. It will be seen that manual turning of the crank 26 advances or retracts the cutting knife 24 to the required depth of cut into the log depending on the thickness of the veneer being sliced. The rough width of the veneer cut is predetermined by selectively positioning the knife holders ZOonthe carriage, there being here shown a longitudinally'extending plurality of the threaded openings 23 in the carriage, in which openings the machine screws 2| are removably received. Several widths of veneer may thus be cut simultaneously from a single log, the knife holders 20 being spaced as desired to produce the desired rough widths of veneer.

The end of each knife holder 20 nearest the log is provided with a beveled surfaceZTto which is secured a base plate 28 as by means of machine screws 29 (see Figures 6 and '7) This base plate 28 has grooves 30' in its upper surface on opposite sides of the cutting knife 24 and closely adjacent thereto, said grooves 30 extending transversely of the log. A cap plate 31 is mounted on the base plate 28 and is provided with grooves 32 complementary to the grooves 30 in the base plate. A scoring knife 33 is slidably'disposed in each set of complementary grooves 30, 32, said scoring knives having their cutting edges protruding toward the log closely adjacent the cutting edge of the cutting knife 24 and on opposite sides thereof. An end plate 34 is mounted on the base plate 28 at its end opposite the log as by means of machine screws 35, said end plate being provided with T-slots 36 in which are turnably mounted adjustment screws 31 having their shanks 38 threaded into the ends of the scoring knives 33 which are farthest "from the log. It will be seen that manual turning of 'the adjustment screws 31 will advance or retract the scoring knives 33 so that the veneer will be scored on its face side to the desired depth during the slicing and cutting thereof. After the desired adjustment of the scoring knives 33 has been made, these knives are clamped in adjusted positions between the cap plate 3] and base plate 28 by tightening down clamping screws 38 which extend through the cap plate and are threaded into the base plate.

The base plate 28 is also provided with a groove 40 in its underside through which extends the cutting knife 24 (see FiguresG and 7).

The apparatus having been described, the method of the invention can best be understood by reference to Figures 4 and 5. The predetermined ultimate net widthof the veneer is indicated by broken lines in Figure 5. To this net width is added a certain amount,perhaps an inch at either side, to allow for inaccuracies in rough-cutting, plying, etc., and the resultant is the rough width to which the'veneer is to be cut at the mill. This width is indicated by the total width of the panel shown in Figure 5. Prior to slicing the veneer from the log, the slicing knife IT is adjusted to give the veneer the desired thickness, the knife holders 20 are adjusted to give the veneer the desired rough width, the cutting knife or knives 24 are adjusted to the desired depth of out according to the thickness of the veneer, and the scoring knives 33 are adjusted so as to visibly score but not cut through the veneer. During the slicing operation, best illustrated in Figure 4, the veneer is cut to. rough width as indicated at 4|, and is simultaneously scored on the face side as indicated at 42. The veneer is subsequently cut to rough length and 4 is glued up with other plies at the furniture factory with the face side of the face ply l5 outermost as seen in Figure said face side being readily distinguishable by the scoring 42 adjacent the rough edge. Finally the plywood panel is trimmed or shaped to net width thus trimming off the scored edge.

It will thusbe seen that the'invention provides a novel method and apparatus for marking and utilizing rotary sliced veneers, and it will be understood that the invention comprehends all such modifications of the method and apparatus described as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a veneer lathe, the combination with means for rotating a cylindrical log about its axis, a carriage, a slicing knife on the carriage disposed longitudinally of the log, a knife holder detachably mounted on the carriage opposite the log, a cutting knife longitudinally adjustably mounted on the knife holder and disposed transversely of the log, and means for moving said carriage and knives toward the axis of rotation of said log whereby veneer is simultaneously sliced from the log by the slicing knife and cut to rough width by the cutting knife, of a scoring knife positioned on the knife holder transversely of the log and closely adjacent said cutting knife whereby the veneer is scored on its face side adjacent its rough width edge during the cutting of the veneer, said scoring knife being mounted on the knife holder for longitudinal adjustment thereon independently of the cutting knife.

2. In a veneer lathe, the combination with means for rotating a cylindrical log about its axis, a carriage, a slicing knife on the carriage disposed longitudinally of the log, a knife holder detachably mounted on the carriage opposite the log, a cutting knife longitudinally adjustably mounted on the knife holder and disposed transversely of the log, means for moving said carriage and knives toward the axis of rotation of said log whereby veneer is simultaneously sliced from the log by the slicing knife and cut to rough width by the cutting knife, of a pair of scoring knives positioned on the knife holder closely adjacent and on opposite sides of said cutting knife and transversely of the log whereby the face sides of the adjacent sheets of veneer severed by the cutting knife are scored adjacent their rough width edge during the cutting of the veneer, said scoring knives being mounted on the knife holder for longitudinal adjustment thereon independently of the cutting knife.

3. In a veneer lathe, the combination with means for rotating a cylindrical log about its axis, a carriage, a slicing knife on the carriage disposed longitudinally of the log, a knife holder mounted on the carriage opposite the log and in longitudinally selective position relative thereto, a cutting knife on the holder disposed transversely of the log, and means for moving said carriage and knives toward the axis of rotation of said log whereby veneer is simultaneously sliced from the log by the slicing knife and cut to selected rough width by the cutting knife, of a scoring device comprising: a base on the knife holder at the latters end nearest the log, said base having a groove therein extending transversely of the log, a scoring knife slidably mounted in said groove with its cutting edge protruding toward the log closely adjacent the cutting edge of said cutting knife, and means for securing the scoring knife in adjusted position within said groove.

4. In a veneer lathe, the combination with means for rotating a cylindrical log about its axis, a carriage, a slicing knife on the carriage disposed longitudinally of the log, a knife holder mounted on the carriage opposite the log and in longitudinally selective position relative thereto, a cutting knife on the holder disposed transversely of the log, and means for moving said carriage and knives toward the axis of rotation of said log whereby veneer is simultaneously sliced from the log by the slicing knife and cut to selected rough width by the cutting knife, of a scoring device comprising: a base on the knife holder at the latters end nearest the log, said base having a pair of grooves therein extending transversely of the log on opposite sides of said cutting knife, scoring knives slidably mounted in said grooves with their cutting edges protruding toward the log closely adjacent the cutting edge of said cutting knife, and means for securing said scoring knives in adjusted positions within said grooves.

5. In a veneer lathe, the combination with means for rotating a cylindrical log about its axis, a carriage, a slicing knife on the carriage disposed longitudinally of the log, a knife holder mounted on the carriage opposite the log and in longitudinally selective position relative thereto, a cutting knife on the holder disposed transversely of the log, and means for moving said carriage and knives toward the axis of rotation of said log whereby veneer is simultaneously sliced from the log by the slicing knife and cut to selected rough width by the cutting knife, of a scoring device comprising: a base plate mounted on the knife holder at the latters end nearest the log, said base plate having a groove therein extending transversely of the log, a cap plate having a groove therein complementary to the groove in the base plate, a scoring knife slidably disposed in said complementary grooves with its cutting edge protruding toward the log closely adjacent the cutting edge of said cutting knife, an end plate mounted on the base plate at its end opposite the cutting edge of the scoring knife, an adjustment screw turnably mounted in the end plate and threaded in the scoring knife whereby turning movement of the adjustment screw efiects sliding adjustment of the scoring knife within said grooves, and means for clamping said scoring knives between the cap plate and the base plate for securing the scoring knives in adjusted position.

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